Apple to sell a $99 4GB iPhone at Walmart?
We just got a tip that in addition to the iPhone 3G actually making its way to Walmart, as we exclusively told you, there will be a 4GB model priced at $99 with a 2-year agreement. We’re not putting our stamp of approval behind this one just yet as the tipster isn’t listed in our BGR’s Guide to respected Ninjas handbook, but it does make you think, doesn’t it? Now, we all know Apple dropped the 4GB iPhone from its initial line-up, but that was at a $399 price-point. 4GB is certainly enough for some songs and short music videos, but let’s not kid ourselves. Anyone looking to spend $99 on an iPhone probably doesn’t care that much about storage anyway and they’ll be more than happy to drop that amount for one of the best-selling smartphones in the country. Just don’t hate us if this doesn’t happen, we warned you. Thoughts?
Thanks for the workbook pics, BC!
Get on the clue train….
http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/10/iphone-3g-overtakes-the-razr-as-best-selling-domestic-handset/
4GB 8GB 16GB it doesn’t matter the cost of the RAM chip is pennies, if this happens it is because they can make an iPhone for 99$
Nice. A 4G will sell fine–believe it or not most of my friends with the iPhone already prefer their older iPod for music, because it’s smaller. They got the iPhone for Safari and apps. Looks like AT&T’s 3G network is going to get pretty saturated real quick–when are they rolling out HSPA+?
The iPhone is a joke anyway, might as well start selling them at Toys ‘R’ Us at the registers.
“The guy with the iPhone”, you mean you think you’re UNIQUE? HAHAHAHAHA…that’s comedy.
I have been wrong before, but it sounds like poppycock to me. Definitely NOT Apple’s M.O. to offer an equivalent product with reduced memory. I MIGHT believe they will sell 2G models with only 4MB for that price.
Let’s face it, if you can afford the $30/month in data charges – $720 over 2 years – then what is the $100 you are saving?
I do not believe it.
$99 iPhone at Wal-Mart… hmmm, i’ll wait til Hot Topic sells it as a belt buckle before I buy it. Then it’ll truly be “cool” to have one. Just like those awesome NES [+--00] belt buckles!!
Not much for music or movies, but 4 gigs will make a great e-book reader. Seems likely to be meant to compete with Palm’s Centro, which is apparently their best-selling device.
Seriously though, great business move by Appl&T. I do agree though that wal-mart’s “average” consumer probably won’t be able to swallow the data plan cost each month.
However, I doubt that is who they’ll be marketing this to. you know who is going to get this phone? YOU are! The informed tech guy/gal that does their research on the products they want, and who also knows what these products will do for them. Wal-mart is using apple, with this product specifically, to generate traffic from consumers who normally wouldn’t swim in wallie’s waters for the cheaper prices. All of us who shop elsewhere because we don’t mind paying a bit more for our groceries, electronics, oil changes, etc. so as not to have to deal with wallie’s superb customer service. we’re all being marketed to with this product. and you know what? it’ll sell. WELL.
In some parts of the country, Walmart is the only place to get your technology. I remember PSP’s being sold out everywhere until I stopped at a Walmart in BFE off the interstate in Florida. They had them. Local yocals didn’t even know what they were. Your average redneck will be able to have an iPhone and be cool too. Now to figure out where to download that confederate flag wallpaper from….
hahahahaha
@ likeamike & others,
I NEVER said I was elite to ANYBODY. Because I have an iPhone, all I said is that I suggest a shitty color for the 4GB model!
And just for the record, in my area (south-eastern michigan) iPhones arnt as common as they are everywhere else! I waited in line on the 10th of July to get one and since then I can count on my hands and feet how many other iPhones I’ve seen in my area! (no bull)
So you Cunts that are accusing me of being “elitist” can just simply look at my name ….PLUMBER YOU DUMB FUCKS!
How many cool plumbers have you met recently??
….& I never said I was cool either!!!
That was your own low-budget ignorant piece of a thought…!
Buy a 8 gig and get on with your mediocre excuse of a life!
/rant
Actually it’s more than a phone, a lot more. But i agree with you — anyone hoping to increase their coolness factor by buying an iPhone is pretty sad. Saying it in a public forum is sadder still.
you all suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes RAM is cheap. There is one problem with your statement. RAM stands for Random Access Memory and is not the same as Flash or Solid State memory. Solid State memory is not cheap. That is why it costs $800 for a 64 GB SSD.
“Think Different” meet Wal-Mart Falling Prices
I’d be all over this, if only you could get a pre-paid plan. The pre-paid I’m using now requires a $20 fill-up every 3 months, and only once in the year+ that I’ve had it have I needed to buy more time before that three month interval came up. I have absolutely no use for a $70 / month plan.
iPhone prices are not the problem. AT&T family plan prices are the problem — they are obscenely expensive.
Now At&t will suck even more because more people that they can’t handle will be on it.
Wow… that is just sad. Do you sleep at night? Honestly, it is a totally viable alternative, no need to point out the “poor” and those not good enough to own the all-mighty 16 GB.
I fully agree. I have a blackberry unlimited INTERNATIONAL data plan for $65/month and would switch to the iphone if AT&T offered an unlimited INTERNATIONAL data plan for it, too. Also, I would switch my wife and daughter to the iphone (whether it costs $199 or $99) IF AT&T significantly reduced the data plan; they would use the internet features mostly on WiFi networks – I cannot justify to spend $30/head/month for occasional use.
This looks more and more like another subprime crisis to happen. Sell the iphone cheap to people who cannot really afford the monthly data plans…
Plumber… “I NEVER said I was elite to ANYBODY. Because I have an iPhone, all I said is that I suggest a shitty color for the 4GB model!”
So what does”So much for being “the guy with the iPhone”” mean?
Elite – the choice or best of anything considered collectively, as of a group or class of persons
“They should offer the 4gb in a shitty brown so everybody knows who these cheap bastards are!!!!”
Yeah, because the economy is in the shitter (prob good for your business) god forbid people save some $.
The price of the iPhone itself is not what has kept me from purchasing one. I can afford a $199 or $99 phone. However, I am not willing to shell out $360/yr extra just to have the internet in my pocket. Before I get the iPhone or any other smart phone, it will either have to come with built in WiFi (that doesn’t have to be purchased with a data package in order buy it at a discounted price) so that I can use it where ever there is a WiFi access point (which are almost everywhere these days) and not have to shell out extra $$ to use a 3G network.
@GMoney_21:
Precisely! How does it matter if the phone is $100 or $200 or $300 when you have to spend $70+ a month or $840+ a year just for the plan. But many people fall for the $100 sticker price…
oh great, now all of those fat slobs and disgusting country people can get get an iphone. the last thing i would want to see is the poor kids in my school touting the same device i have. how about walmart sells the G1 instead (so the kids have an ugly phone to match their ugly walmart clothing). but seriously, apple attracts conceited people like me to buy from them, not only because they make great devices, but because they are for those who are “hip”. this would be a terrible thing for apple to do, it would automatically make apple less cool (like typical walmart shoppers)
Then hang in there for a while. Most of the telecom companies are not going to like having phones taking advantage of free wifi. However TMobile has wifi at home, and more phones are being capable of that wifi.
I believe the G1 has wifi capability, as will most android based phones. While this will be originally oriented towards their pay services like the TMobile wifi at home, there will soon (if not already in existence) be wifi apps that let you browse the internet on any open wifi source. That is one of the beautiful things about an Open Source phone. If it is possible to do, then someone will develop it, as the source code is readily available. That and they won’t try and cut you off, because it is completely within the rights of the open source agreement to do so!
I will do some research. I wouldn’t doubt it if the G1 can either do any wifi source out of the box, or with a rather simple program download. I hope encryption follows soon!